A06492:1007
Commentary upon the Epistle to the Galatians
A commentary of M. Doctor Martin Luther upon the Epistle of S. Paul to the Galatians first collected and gathered word by word out of his preaching, and now out of Latin faithfully translated into English for the unlearned. Wherein is set forth most excellently the glorious riches of Gods grace ...A commentarie of M. Doctor Martin Luther vpon the Epistle of S. Paul to the Galathians first collected and gathered vvord by vvord out of his preaching, and novv out of Latine faithfully translated into English for the vnlearned. Wherein is set forth most excellently the glorious riches of Gods grace ...
London: printed by Thomas Vautroullier dwelling wihtin sic, 1575London: printed by Thomas Vautroullier dvvelling vvihtin sic, 1575
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And it seemeth that Paul here, as it were in reproach, calleth the virgin Mary but only a woman: which thing was not well taken even of some of the ancient Doctors, who would that he should rather have called her a virgin, then a woman.1 But Paul entreateth in this Epistle of the most high & principal matter of all, to wit, of the Gospel, of Faith, of Christian righteousness: Also, what the person of Christ is, what is his office, what he hath taken upon him & done for our cause, & what benefits he hath brought to us wretched sinners. Wherefore the excellency of so high & so wonderful a matter was the cause that he had no regard to her virginity. It was enough for him to set forth & preach the inestimable mercy of God, which would that his son should be borne of that sex. Therefore he maketh no mention of the dignity of the sex, but only of the sex. And in that he nameth the sex, he signifieth that Christ was made true and very man of womankind. As if he said: He was borne, not of man and woman, but only of womankind. Therefore when he nameth but only the womankind, saying: made of a woman, 2it is as if he should have said, made of a virgin. John the Evangelist, when he thus setteth forth the Word, that it was in the beginning, & was made flesh, speaketh not one word of his mother.
And it seemeth that Paule here, as it were in reproch, calleth the virgine Marie but onely a woman: which thing was not wel taken euē of some of the auncient Doctors, who would that he should rather haue called her a virgin, then a womā.1 But Paule intreateth in this Epistle of ye most high & principal matter of all, to wit, of the Gospel, of Faith, of Christian righteousnes: Also, what the person of Christ is, what is his office, what he hath taken vppon him & done for our cause, & what benefits he hath brought to vs wretched sinners. Wherfore ye excellencie of so high & so wōderfull a matter was ye cause yt he had no regard to her virginitie. It was enough for him to set forth & preach ye inestimable mercy of God, which would yt his sōne should be borne of that sexe. Therfore he maketh no mention of the dignitie of the sexe, but onely of the sexe. And in that he nameth the sexe, he signifieth that Christe was made true and very man of womankinde. As if he sayd: He was borne, not of man and woman, but onely of womankinde. Therefore when he nameth but onely the womankinde, saying: made of a vvoman,